Talk show host also admits he recently took ad money from GM, despite criticism

Talk
show host Rush Limbaugh on his conservative talk show released a
barrage of harsh criticism towards General Motors and its electric
vehicle superstar, the 2011 Chevy Volt.

Wasting no time after
GM's press release of the completed
Volt, its price, and pre-order info, Limbaugh aired a Wednesday
broadcast saying the Volt was unviable and blamed President
Obama for what he sees as the sad state of General Motors.

Despite
recently turning
a profit, Limbaugh claims GM is doomed. He states, "Obama
and the government are admitting nobody wants this."

Limbaugh
says the price is too high and calls GM "Obama Motors", a
slightly less used slur than the popular "Government Motors"
line. He says its just an excuse for Obama to pour
$86B USD more into the auto industry.

While some may
agree with his assessment of price, his commentary on the vehicle's
operation indicated a lack of knowledge and/or confusion about its
gas generator. Limbaugh comments, "That 40-mile range has
to include you getting home, and staying home three to four hours to
charge the thing. It's (a) 20-mile range."

Limbaugh
said he didn't believe that the gas generator could really increase
the range to 300 miles, while failing to cite any concrete evidence
to back up his claims. GM has assured the public that the
gasoline range (300 miles on a tank) is a safe estimate under
virtually all conditions giving average driving habits (careful
drivers may get better mileage, heavy footed ones may get slightly
worse). The battery range admittedly is variable depending on
weather conditions and may be significantly better or worse under
hot or cold weather.

Despite his criticism of GM, Limbaugh
admits he was more than happy to take GM advertising money. He
admits that last year he accepted ad money to promote the company's
new car purchase incentives for workers who lost their jobs. GM
has been listed as a sponsor of his program in the past.

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No, they didn't actual listen to what he said. Nor did DT's sources. I listened to the show when he talked about the Volt. Rush knew about the gasoline generator and correctly stated that the vehicle has a 40 mile range on all-electric power and a 340 mile range with the gasoline backup. He was correct in stating that the Volt has a 20 mile one-way limit to stay on all-electric power.

Nothing new for Rush, though. People who criticize him never actually listen first hand.

As Rush has been saying for a while now, there are no journalists left anymore just stenographers and this is proof.

He also said, pretty much on the money as well, that it makes no sense to have a primary electric range be 40 miles while the gasoline one, the backup, provide 340 instead of being the other way around. And then made the point that people buying these things are doing so out of some misguided sense of moral (or green) superiority.

quote: And then made the point that people buying these things are doing so out of some misguided sense of moral (or green) superiority.

Saying it is a point is like saying it is a fact, rather than an opinion.

Saying that rush limbaugh and the people who listen to him are quick-to-stereotype-people a$$holes, or that he/they have to act like children and belittle things (prospective Volt owners) related to decisions they don't like (Obama and GM) doesn't make it true.

Rush is right on this one. A car that NEEDS a $7,500 to gain any traction in the market is one that shouldn't be sold in the first place. Even with that credit the price is still too high for what it is.

Think about it in terms of cars in that class. It is a mid-size sedan - it's not a luxury car, it's just a normal vanilla sedan and most cars in that class are in the $18-$22K price range with no incentive.

It's much the same with the current crop of hybrids - they are vastly overpriced when you consider their class - and they're all mostly "compact sedan/hatch" class which has average prices of $14K-$18K while the hybrids cost more like mid to full-size sedans.

The NORMAL, tried-and-true method of rolling out new auto tech is to stuff it into a LUXURY car, allowing people who like to spend money to bring the new tech into the marketplace without having to rely on tax credits. After the tech becomes "standard" for luxury cars it can be filtered down into "normal" cars that most people drive. This is how they did it with ABS brakes, fuel injection, air bags, HID headlights just to name a few...no reason this tech should be any different.

I love how every time the man speaks, it's a viscous calculated "attack". What happened to the first amendment? Since when was speaking your opinion, or in Rush's case common sense, so controversial?

We all know why. Anyone who speaks out against Obama is labeled either a racists or a rebel rabblerouser. I tell you people, be really afraid when political correctness and mob rule starts shutting opposing voices up. Because tyranny and oppression is soon to follow.

And honestly, anyone with half a BRAIN should be upset over the way the Obama administration handled the GM takeover. Jason, you have to be kidding me with this. Rush isn't the only one mad as hell about it, MILLIONS of Americans are. At least put this in the proper context.

In my opinion the Volt has already failed because of the insanely large subsidy. If we have to front that much of the bill, up front, for this car to succeed then..well, it hasn't succeeded. Why doesn't the government help you buy a sports car or an SUV? Ask yourself why we should just accept the government deciding which products fail and which make it.